Blend of polyethylene and polypropylene

ABSTRACT

A blend of low density polyethylene and crystalline polypropylene can be melt spun at high temperature and high speed to produce a fiber. The fiber has utility as a binder fiber in nonwoven fabrics. The blend contains 5 to 35% by weight polypropylene and 95 to 65% of polyethylene.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This is a division of application Ser. No. 788,351, filed Oct. 22, 1985,which application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No.686,917, filed Dec. 27, 1984, now abandoned.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a blend of low density polyethylene andcrystalline polypropylene and fibers produced therefrom. In particular,the invention concerns an improved blend that can be melt-spun at hightemperature and high speed into fibers which are particularly useful asbinder fibers for nonwoven fabrics.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Nonwoven fabrics which contain fibers having different meltingtemperatures are known in the art. The fibers with the lower meltingtemperature act as an adhesive agent which bonds the highermelting-temperature fibers to each other. The lower melting-temperaturefibers are referred to as "binder" fibers. In the manufacture of manynonwoven webs which include binder fibers, the web is compressed andheated to a temperature which causes the binder fibers to melt and bondthe other fibers to each other. Temperatures which do not detrimentallyaffect the tensile characteristics of the non-binder fibers are desiredfor the binding operation.

Polyethylene, because of its relatively low melting temperature andother desirable characteristics, has been considered for use as binderfibers for nonwoven fabrics, especially for those made of polypropylenefilaments. However, polyethylene generally has been found to beunsatisfactory for binder fibers because of its poor spinnability. Themelt-spinning of polyethylene into fine filaments at high speed and hightemperature has generally been unsatisfactory. Yet, such hightemperature, high speed melt-spinning is highly desirable for successfulcommercial production of polyethylene binder fibers. Accordingly, it isan object of this invention to provide a composition that can bemelt-spun at high speed and high temperature into binder fibers thatwould have melting characteristics similar to those of polyethylene.

Many blends of polyethylene and polypropylene are known in the art. Forexample, Plastics and Polymers, Vol. 40, No. 147, pages 142-152,"Parameters Affecting Processing of Polymers and Polymer Blends," by W.H. Skoroszewski, (June, 1972) discloses blends of polyethylene inpolypropylene, with the polypropylene being the major component and highor low density polyethylene being the minor component. Other blends oflinear (i.e., high density) polyethylene and polypropylene aredisclosed, for example, in Journal of Applied Polymer Science, Vol. 26,3515-3521, "Drawing Behavior of Polyethylene-Polypropylene Blends" by P.Robson et al. (1981).

Blends of low density polyethylene and isotactic polypropylene are knownfor various purposes. For example, Maloney et al., U.S. Pat. No.3,355,520, suggests that branched polyethylene in which is incorporatedpolypropylene amounting to 3.1 to 5.3% (by weight of the polyethylene)improves the wire-coating, film, and bottle-forming characteristics ofthe polymer. The examples of Maloney et al. disclose branchedpolyethylene of 0.922 and 0.970 g/cm³ density and 0.17 and 0.07 meltindex in which is incorporated up to 11.0% of polypropylene of 0.905g/cm³ density and 0.78 melt flow rate.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides an improved blend consisting essentiallyof low density polyethylene and crystalline polypropylene, which blendcan be melt-spun into fibers at surprisingly much higher speeds andtemperatures than non-blended polyethylene can be melt-spun. In theimproved blend, the polyethylene amounts to 65 to 95% by weight of theblend and has a density in the range of 0.90 to 0.92 g/cm³, a meltingtemperature of less than 107° C. and a melt index of at least 25, andthe polypropylene amounts to 5 to 35% by weight of the blend and has amelt flow rate of at least 3, and a ratio of weight-to-number averagemolecular weight of at least 4. In preferred blends, the polyethylenedensity, melting temperature and melt index are respectively in theranges of 0.905 to 0.913 g/cm³. 102° to 106° C. and 30 to 70, and thepolypropylene melt flow rate and molecular weight ratio are respectivelyless than 35 and less than 12. In further preferred blends, thepolyethylene amounts to 75 to 85% and the polypropylene, 15 to 25% ofthe blend weight.

The present invention also provides a fiber made from the above blend.In the fiber, the polyethylene forms a continuous phase in which thepolypropylene is dispersed as a second phase.

In another embodiment of the invention a process is provided for makingfibers from the blend in which the blend is melt-spun at a temperaturein the range of 205° to 265° C., preferably at least 230° C., and at aspeed of at least 1740 m/min. preferably at least 2500 m/min. In stillanother embodiment, the invention provides a process for making andbonding a nonwoven fabric formed with binder fibers melt-spun from theblend.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be more readily understood by reference to thedrawings in which

FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of an apparatus suitable forpreparing a nonwoven web in which binder fibers of a blend of theinvention are included and

FIG. 2 is a graph which depicts the maximum melt-spinning speed at 260°C. of various blends of a low density polyethylene and crystallinepolypropylene.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The blends of the present invention are formed from crystalline (i.e.,isotactic) polypropylene and particular low-density, branchedpolyethylene polymers. The polyethylene is the major component,amounting to between 65 and 95%, preferably 75 to 85% by weight of theblend. The polypropylene is the minor component of the blend andprovides the complemental amount of polymer to complete the blend (i.e.,35 to 5%, preferably 25 to 15%). Of course the usual additives, such asthermal, oxidative and ultraviolet stabilizers may be added to the blendin conventional amounts.

The low-density polyethylene suitable for use in the blends of presentinvention generally is a branched polyethylene having a meltingtemperature of less than 107° C., a density in the range of 0.90 to 0.92g/cm³ and a melt index of at least 25 and usually below 200. For besthigh-speed, high-temperature melt-spinning of filaments of thepolyethylene/polypropylene blends of the invention, polyethylenes of0.905 to 0.913 g/cm³ density, 102° to 106° C. melting temperature and 30to 70 melt index are preferred.

The crystalline polypropylene suitable for use in the blends of thepresent invention generally is an isotactic polypropylene having a meltflow rate of at least 3 and a molecular weight distribution, asdetermined by gel permeation chromatography such that the weight averagemolecular weight, Mw, is at least 4 times the number average molecularweight, Mn. Preferably, the melt flow rate is less than 35 and the ratioof weight-to-number average molecular weight is less than 12. Suchpolypropylenes have a wide molecular weight distribution and are of thetype that are obtained directly from the polymerization reactor withouta further "cracking" treatment. These polymers are sometimes called"reactor grade" polypropylenes.

The polyethylene and polypropylene may be blended together and then meltspun in conventional equipment by conventional techniques. However, asdemonstrated particularly in Examples 3 and 4 below, the blendcompositions of the invention are clearly superior in high-speed andhigh-temperature spinning performance as compared to blends made withhigh-density polyethylene or with low-density polyethylenes that havemelt indices below about 25. These latter blends have very erracticspinning characteristics at high temperatures, especially above about250° C. These latter blends also exhibit much lower filament-breakingspeeds than those that can be achieved under the same conditions bymelt-spun blends of the invention.

The fibers melt-spun from blends of the invention contain two phases; apolypropylene phase which is dispersed in a continuous phase ofpolyethylene. The polypropylene takes the form of elongated droplets inthe filaments. Many of the droplets measure about 7 microns in length byabout 5 microns in diameter. However, there is considerable variation inthe droplet size. These fibers exhibit two distinct melting temperatureswhich correspond to the melting temperatures of each component.

The process of the invention for producing the above-described fiberscomprises melt-spinning a blend of the invention at a temperature in therange of 205° C. to 265° C. and at a speed of at least 1740 meter/min(1900 yds/min). The spinning speed preferably is no more than 60% of thespeed at which filaments break when melt spun at the particular spintemperature. Preferred temperatures and speeds for melt spinningfilaments in accordance with the invention are respectively 240° to 265°C. and at least 2300 meters/min.

The present invention also includes a process for producing a nonwovenfabric. The process comprises melt-spinning as described hereinbefore apolymer blend of the invention to form a first group of filaments,quenching the first group of filaments, bringing the first group offilaments together with a second group of filaments which have a highermelting temperature than the polyethylene component of the first groupof filaments, forming a composite web of the two groups of filaments andbonding the web by compressing the web while heating it to a temperatureabove the melting temperature of the polyethylene component. The secondgroup of filaments may be of a polyester, polypropylene, high-densitypolyethylene or other polymer. Isotactic polypropylene is the preferredpolymer for the second group of filaments.

In the above-described process for making a nonwoven fabric of theinvention, the compressing of the web may be accomplished with flat orembossed rolls. Embossed rolls provide a bonded pattern to the fabric.

Fiber of this invention can also be employed to make nonwoven fabricwithout the use of another higher melting temperature fiber. However,very careful control of the bonding time and bonding temperature arenecessary. The bonding time should be short and the bonding temperatureshould be approximately equal to the melting temperature of thepolyethylene component of the low-density polyethylene/polypropylenefiber. In this manner nonwoven fabrics made completely of fibers of theblends of the invention can be produced.

The particular procedures that were used to determine the variouscharacteristics reported herein as follows. ASTM refers to the AmericanSociety of Testing Materials and TAPPI refers to the TechnicalAssociation of Pulp and Paper Industry.

    ______________________________________                                        Measurement  Units          Reference                                         ______________________________________                                        Density      g/cm.sup.3     ASTM D 792-56                                     Melting temperature                                                                        °C.     DSC*                                              Melt index   grams/10 min   ASTM 1238(E)                                      Melt flow rate                                                                             grams/10 min   ASTM 1238(L)                                      Molecular weight                                                                           --             GPC**                                             Unit weight  g/m.sup.2 (oz/yd.sup.2)                                                                      ASTM D 646                                        Grab tensile strength                                                                      N/cm (lb/in)   ASTM D 1682                                       Elongation   %              ASTM D 1682                                       Elmendorf tear                                                                             N (lb)         ASTM D 1424                                       Trapezoidal tear                                                                           N (lb)         ASTM D 2263                                       Thickness    mm (inch)      ASTM D 1774                                       Bulk         mm/g/m.sup.2 (in/oz/yd.sup.2)                                                                ***                                               Gurley-Hill porosity                                                                       sec/100 cm.sup.3 /                                                                           TAPPI 460-M-49                                                 6.45 cm.sup.2                                                    Porosity     m.sup.3 /m.sup.2 /min                                                                        ASTM D 737                                                     (ft.sup.3 /ft.sup.2 /min)                                        ______________________________________                                         *DSC: differential scanning calorimeter operated at a 10° C./min       heating rate.                                                                 **GPC: gel permeation chromatography.                                         ***Bulk: thickness divided by unit weight.                               

In the examples which follow various aspects of the invention areillustrated. All parts and percentages are by weight. MD and XDproperties respectively refer to longitudinal (i.e., machine direction)and transverse (i.e., cross-machine direction) properties of the fabric.Example 1 shows the melt-spinning of textile-denier filaments fromblends of the invention. Example 2 describes in detail the manufactureof a nonwoven fabric made with binder filaments in accordance with theinvention. Example 3 illustrates the advantageous manner in which apreferred blend of the invention can be melt-spun into filaments athigher speeds than either component of the blend could be spun byitself. Finally, Example 4 summarizes data from a series of tests whichhelped establish the various preferred limits on parameters of theclaimed invention.

EXAMPLE 1

In this example, filaments of textile denier were melt-spun at highspeed from a preferred blend of low density polyethylene and crystallinepolypropylene:

A blend was formed of (a) 80 parts of polyethylene (NA-270, manufacturedby USI Chemicals) having a density of 0.909 g/cm³, a melting temperatureof 103.4° C., and a melt index of 70, and (b) 20 parts of polypropylene(PP 3014 manufactured by Exxon) having a density of about 0.90 g/cm³, amelting temperature of about 165° C. and a melt flow rate of 12. Theblend was melted, further blended and extruded at 260° C. at a totalrate of 4.54 kg/hr (10 lbs/hr) through a spinneret having 110 Y-shapedorifices with each arm of the Y measuring 0.38-mm long by 0.13-mm wideby 0.17-mm deep (0.015×0.005×0.007 inch). Throughput per ofifice was0.69 g/min, spin-stretch ratio was 441, shear rate was 3266 reciprocalseconds and wind-up speed was 2439 m/min (2667 yards/min). This directmelt-spinning operation involved no drawing, other than spin-stretchingof the filaments. The thusly produced filaments had a dtex of 2.8 perfilament (2.5 denier per filament), a tenacity of 1.15 dN/tex (1.3 gpd),an elongation of 150% and a trilobal cross-section of 1.40 modificationratio. The yarn formed from these filaments exhibited two meltingpoints, one at about 150° C. corresponding to the polyethylene componentand one at about 165° C. corresponding to the polypropylene component.Microscopic examination of the filament cross-sections also gaveevidence of a two-phase polymer blend. The minor component, thepolypropylene, appeared as elongated droplets in a matrix of the majorcomponent, the polyethylene.

EXAMPLE 2

In this example, a nonwoven fabric was prepared from filaments ofpolypropylene and binder filaments of a polyethylene/polypropylene blendin accordance with the invention. This example also demonstrates theadvantageous capability of the binder filaments to be melt-spun at thesame high speeds as the main filaments (i.e., the polypropylenefilaments, also called "matrix" filaments) of the web.

A twenty-position, commercial machine for making continuous filament,spunbonded, nonwoven fabrics was used to melt spin matrix filaments ofpolypropylene and binder filaments of a polyethylene/polypropylene blendin accordance with the invention and to combine the filaments into anonwoven fabric. The apparatus included at each position of the machineis represented diagramatically in FIG. 1. Isotactic polypropylene,containing thermal and ultraviolet stabilizers and having a melt flowrate of 32, was melt spun through spinneret 2 to form matrix filaments.Spinneret 2 contained 1050 holes of circular cross-section measuring0.97 mm (0.020 inch) in diameter and 2.41 mm (0.095 inch) in length.Throughput was 0.47 g/min/hole. Binder filaments consisting of a blendof 80 parts polyethylene and 20 parts polypropylene were melt spun fromspinneret 20 which had a 95 Y-shaped holes each measuring 0.38-mm longby 0.13-mm wide by 0.17-mm deep (0.015×0.005×0.007 inch). Binderfilament throughput was 0.80 g/min/hole.

The polypropylene polymer for the matrix filaments was melted in a120-mm diameter twin screw extruder which operated with a 232° C. outlettemperature and then melt spun into filaments of 2.6 dtex (2.3 denierper filament) through spinneret 2 which was maintained at 250° C. The80/20 melt blend of polyethylene and polypropylene for the binderfilaments was blended in flake form and then melted and further blendedin a 83-mm diameter twin screw extruder. The blend was then melt spuninto filaments of 4.3 dtex (3.9 dpf) through spinneret 2a which also wasmaintained at 250° C. The same polymer blend as used in Example 1 wasused in the blend of the binder filaments of this example.

The polypropylene matrix filaments were quenched to a temperature below60° C. by radial flow of cooling air in radial quench chimney 37. Themelt-blend polyethylene/polypropylene binder filaments also werequenched to a temperature below 60° C. by a cross-flow of cooling air incross-flow quench chimney 37a.

The thusly formed bundle of matrix filaments and bundle of binderfilaments were then respectively passed over guides 3 and 3a, charged bycorona discharge devices 41 and 41a to 27,000 esu/m², and passed overguide 3' and 3a'. Then, both bundles were converged on a pair of rolls40, each of which operated at a surface speed of 1829 meters/min (2000yards/min). The combined matrix and binder filaments were then advancedas a ribbon from the last roll 40 through high pressure,pneumatic-slot-jet diffuser 5. The width of the filament ribbon was 26.7cm (10.5 inches). The ribbon of combined filaments was then forwardedfrom jet diffuser 5 to a moving collection belt on which the filamentswere deposited to form a swath.

The twenty swath-forming positions were arranged in four rows of jetswith five positions per row. Each row was perpendicular to the directionof collection-belt movement. The slot jet of each position was at anangle to the perpendicular so that the swath formed by each jetoverlapped by about 50% the swaths formed by adjacent jets in the row.In this manner, an overlapped, layered, wide sheet was formed. The sheetwas then exposed to steam at 100° C. and compacted under a load of 14.3kg/linear cm (80 lbs/linear inch) by under a consolidation roll. Thespeed of the collection belt was adjusted to provide consolidated sheetof two unit weights, 50.9 g/m² (1.5 oz/yd²), and 67.8 g/m² (2 oz/yd²).

The above-described consolidated sheets were calendered at 4.6 m/min (5yds/min) between smooth rolls at a temperature of 150° C. and at a loadof 286 kg/linear cm (1600 lbs/linear inch). The resultant fabric wasuniformly bonded. Each area of fabric contained approximately the samenumber of bonds as any other area. Properties of the resultant bondedfabrics were as follows:

    ______________________________________                                        Unit Weight, g/m.sup.2 (oz/yd.sup.2)                                                             50.9 (1.5) 67.8 (2.0)                                      Grab Tensile, N/cm (lb/in)                                                    MD                 49 (28)    67 (38)                                         XD                 35 (20)    40 (23)                                         Elmendorf Tear, N (lbs)                                                       MD                 19.6 (4.4) 24.0 (5.4)                                      XD                 18.2 (4.1) 22.3 (5.0)                                      Gurley-Hill Porosity                                                                             17         25                                              ______________________________________                                    

A portion of the consolidated, not calendered sheet of 50.9-g/m² (1.5oz/yd²) unit weight was pattern bonded at a speed of 6.1 m/sec (20ft/min), at a temperature of 140° C. and under a load of 89.5 kg/linearcm (500 lbs/linear inch) between a patterened roll having 20% compactingarea and a smooth, heated back-up roll. Properties of the resultantpattern-bonded fabric were as follows:

    ______________________________________                                        Unit Weight, g/m.sup.2 (oz/yd.sup.2)                                                                50.9 (1.5)                                              Grab Tensile, N/cm (lb/in)                                                    MD                    46 (26)                                                 XD                    32 (18)                                                 % Elongation                                                                  MD                    42                                                      XD                    48                                                      Trapezoidal Tear, N (lb)                                                      MD                    28.0 (6.3)                                              XD                    26.7 (6.0)                                              Bulk, mm/g/m.sup.2 (inch/oz/yd.sup.2)                                                               0.0062 (0.0083)                                         Porosity, m.sup.3 /m.sup.2 /min                                                                     75.2 (247)                                              (ft.sup.3 /ft.sup.2 /min)                                                     Subjective Softness   Excellent                                               ______________________________________                                    

EXAMPLE 3

This example illustrates the advantage of a preferredpolypropylene/polyethylene blend of the invention in providing higherspeeds of melt-spinning than could be obtained with 100% polyethylene or100% polypropylene or with blends of the same polymers havingcompositions that were outside the polyethylene/polypropylene ratiosrequired by the present invention.

A series of blends of polyethylene and polypropylene pellets was fed toa twin-screw extruder, melted and forced by means of a gear (metering)pump through a filter pack and spinneret plate to form filaments. Thespinneret plate had 70 capillaries of circular cross-section arranged intwo concentric circles of 5.1-cm (2-inch) and 3.8-cm (1.5-inch)diameter, which respectively accommodated 40 and 30 capillaries. Eachcapillary was 0.038 cm (0.015 inch) in diameter and 0.229 cm (0.090 in)in length and had an included entrance angle of 60°.

The filaments were melt-spun with the spinneret at a temperature of 260°C. and were then quenched by a cross flow of cooling air at roomtemperature. The polymer flow rate per hole was 0.90 grams/min. Thequenching zone provided a uniform cross-flow of air at a velocity of0.46 m/s (1.5 ft/sec) and extended from 3.9 cm (1.5 inches) below thespinneret to 57.2 cm (22.5 inches) below the spinneret. A feed roll(i.e., filament withdrawal roll) was located 3.6 meters (142 in) fromthe spinneret. A U-guide was located about 3.15 meters (124 in) from thespinneret. The feed roll surface speed at which filaments broke wasdetermined by increasing the feed roll speed until most of the filamentsbroke (usually all of the filaments broke at about the same speed) andby averaging at least three such measurements of break speed for eachpolymer blend. For the tests of this example, polyethylene of 0.9096g/cm³ density, 103.4° C. melting temperature and 70 melt index andpolypropylene of 0.9022 g/cm³ density, 164.0° C. melting temperature,8.7 melt flow rate, and 8.8 ratio of weight-to-number average molecularweight were used.

The following table, which summarizes the results of these tests,demonstrates that a higher spinning speed can be obtained by using blendcompositions of the invention rather than by using other blends or 100%polyethylene or 100% polypropylene. FIG. 2 graphically presents theseresults.

    ______________________________________                                        Blend Composition, %                                                                            Speed to Break Filaments                                    Polyethylene                                                                            Polypropylene                                                                             m/min (yd/min)                                          ______________________________________                                        100        0          1847 (2,020)                                            90        10          4107 (4,491)                                            80        20          4711 (5,152)                                            60        40          2448 (2,678)                                            40        60          2062 (2,255)                                            20        80          1526 (1,669)                                             0        100         2882 (3,152)                                            ______________________________________                                    

EXAMPLE 4

This example describes the melt-spinning of blends of variouspolyethylene and polypropylene polymers. The particular polymers usedare designated herein with upper-case letters and had the followingproperties:

    ______________________________________                                        Polyethylene Polymers                                                         Designation     A       B        C     D                                      ______________________________________                                        Melting Temperature, °C.                                                               103.4   104.9    109.9 130.0                                  Density, g/cm.sup.3                                                                           0.909   0.913    0.915 0.950                                  Melt Index      70      30-35    1.9   27                                     Viscosity poise*                                                                              480     800      10,000                                                                              **                                     ______________________________________                                        Polypropylene Polymers                                                        Designation     Q       R      S     T    U                                   ______________________________________                                        Melting Temperature, ° C.                                                              164     163.5  **    163.4                                                                              163.0                               Density, g/cm.sup.3                                                                           0.902   0.900  0.892 0.900                                                                              0.892                               Melt Flow Rate  3.4     8.7    19.4  19.6 35                                  Molecular Weight Ratio*                                                                       8.7     11.3   9.8   5.3  5.0                                 Viscosity, poise*                                                                             30,000  9,000  5,200 2,900                                                                              1,600                               ______________________________________                                         **No measurement made                                                         *Estimated zero shear viscosity at 260° C.                             *Ratio of weightaverage to numberaverage molecular weight                

Polyethylene polymer A was "Petrothene" NA-270 manufactured by USIChemicals; B was LD-502 manufactured by Exxon; C was "Alathon" 20manufactured by Du Pont; and D was PE-9122 manufactured by Gulf.Polypropylene polymer Q was a virgin blend; and polymers R, S, T and Uwere respectively PLDT-147, PLDT-167, PLDT-168 and PD-3125, eachmanufactured by Exxon.

The same equipment and procedure as was used in Example 3 was employedin this example to melt-spin at 260° C. polymer blends of 80 partspolyethylene and 20 parts polypropylene into filaments. As in Example 3the speeds at which the filaments broke were determined for each blendand compared to the breaking speed of filaments made of 100% of the samepolyethylene and of 100% of the same polypropylene as was used in theblend. The following tabe summarizes results of the tests. Tests C-1 andC-2 are comparison tests.

    ______________________________________                                                       Filament-Breaking Speed, m/min                                 Polymers         100%     100%                                                Test Poly-     Poly-     Poly-  Poly-    80/20                                No.  ethylene  propylene ethylene                                                                             propylene                                                                              Blend                                ______________________________________                                        1    A         R         1847   2282     4710                                 2    A         U         1847   6675     4298                                 3    A         T         1847   4574     3904                                 4    A         S         1847   4070     4441                                 5    A         Q         1847   2044     4120                                 6    B         R          710   2882     3020                                 C-1  C         R         <90    2882      195                                 C-2  D         R           0    2882     1435                                 ______________________________________                                    

Note that in the tested blends, polyethylene polymers A and B, whichwere low-density (i.e., in the 0.90 to 0.92 g/cm³ range) branchedpolyethylenes having a melt index of greater than 25 and meltingtemperatures of less than 107° C., were readily melt spun at 260° C. atspeeds of greater than 3000 meters/min. In contrast, as shown bycomparison test C-1, low-density polyethylene C (i.e., 0.915 g/mc³), inan 80/20 blend with isotactic, crystalline polypropylene, could not bemelt spun at speeds greater than 195 m/min. Note that polyethylenepolymer C had a melting temperature of 109.9° C. and a melt index of1.9. In the blend of comparison test C-2, in which high-density, linearpolyethylene polymer D (0.950 g/cm³ density, 130° C. melting temperatureand 27 melt index) was used, a filament breaking speed of only 1435m/min could be achieved.

On the basis of the tests and comparisons described in these examples,as well as on other tests in which similar results were obtained, thevarious limits set forth in the claims were established on theproperties of polymers suitable for use in the blends of the presentinvention.

I claim:
 1. A process for the production of a fiber which comprises meltspinning at a temperature in the range of 205° to 265° C. and at a speedof greater than 1740 meters/min a blend consisting essentially of lowdensity polyethylene and crystalline polypropylene wherein thepolyethylene amounts to 65 to 95% by weight of the blend and has adensity in the range of 0.90 to 0.92 g/cm³, a melting temperature ofless than 107° C. and a melt index of at least 25, and the polypropyleneamounts to 5 to 35% by weight of the blend and has a melt flow rate ofat least 3 and a ratio of weight-to-number average molecular weight ofat least
 4. 2. A process for producing a nonwoven fabric which comprisesproducing a first fiber in accordance with the process of claim 1,quenching said first fiber, forming a composite web of said first fiberand a second fiber having a higher melting point than the polyethylenecomponent of said first fiber, and compressing said web while heatingthe web to a temperature above the melting point of the polyethylenecomponent of said first fiber.
 3. The process of claim 2 in which thesecond fiber is a polypropylene fiber.
 4. The process of claim 2 inwhich the second fiber is a polyester fiber.
 5. A nonwoven fabriccontaining a fiber made from a blend consisting essentially of lowdensity polyethylene and crystalline polypropylene wherein thepolyethylene amounts to 65 to 95% by weight of the blend and has adensity in the range of 0.92 g/cm³, a melting temperature of less than107° C. and a melt index of at least 25, and the polypropylene amountsto 5 to 35% by weight of the blend and has a melt flow rate of at least3 and a ratio of weight-to-number average molecular weight of at least4.
 6. The nonwoven fabric of claim 5 in which the only type of fiber inthe fabric is that which is defined in claim
 5. 7. The nonwoven fabricof claim 5 in which the fabric is pattern bonded.
 8. The nonwoven fabricof claim 5 in which the fabric is uniformly bonded.